Exploring some old trails, Irish Wilderness, April 2025
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A trip exploring a couple of old trails, looking for water sources, and seeking another campsite overlooking the Eleven Point River.
More >Backpacking
Berryman Trail, Missouri, Revisited, March 2024
I experienced some health issues during my last hike on the Berryman Trail, and the same issue canceled my next planned trip there. Finally, it’s time to hike the trail again.
More >Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness, February 2025
My first plan for four days hiking the Berryman Trail was dashed. I decided to spend three days on the Big Piney Trail at Paddy Creek Wilderness instead. It was a good hike, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
More >Hercules Glades in the snow, January 2025
I’ve never been backpacking or camping in true winter conditions with snow on the ground. A forecast winter storm in Southwest Missouri on January 9 and 10 was just what was needed to let me get some time out when the trail conditions would be a bit more challenging.
More >Four days hiking the Berryman Trail, Missouri, December 2024
This was my last backpacking trip of 2024. I got nowhere near my goal of hiking 240 miles in 2024, but spending four days hiking the twenty-seven-mile Berryman Trail near Potosi, Missouri, got me a bit closer. However, the trip didn’t start quite as smoothly as I anticipated.
More >Four days hiking the Whites Creek Trail, Irish Wilderness. December 2024
There was a break in the weather and even some rain in the forecast. I went to Irish Wilderness and hiked the Whites Creek Trail counterclockwise, taking a leisurely four days to do so.
More >Getting outside my comfort zone, Paddy Creek Wilderness, December 2024
I’ve not spent much time on the trails this year, so I decided to get outside my comfort zone and put in some miles with the daytime temperatures below freezing.
More >2024 January – June Backpacking Round-up
The year started well with two trips out in January, followed by another four trips by the end of April, including a three-day outing to the Mark Twain National Forest to watch the total solar eclipse. Read on for links to all the trip write-ups, plus notes on my gear changes.
More >2023 Backpacking Round-up
A quick roundup of the backpacking trips I managed to fit into 2023. And, of course, some pictures.
More >My 2023 backpacking cooking kit
A look through my 2023 Backpacking cooking kit, which I’ve been using for the past three years. 2 pictures
More >2022 Backpacking Round-up
A quick roundup of the few backpacking trips we managed to fit into 2022. And, of course, some pictures.
More >2021 Backpacking Round-up
A quick roundup of our 2021 backpacking trips and a rundown on our gear changes. And, of course, some pictures.
More >One-night stay in the Devil’s Backbone Wilderness
We try out some new gear, and once more I manage to break something … Trip write-up: three-minute read.
More >New Hammock Gear ‘Journey’ bad weather tarp
Seam sealing my new tarp – it’s time to start thinking about fall and winter camping. I’m prepping my new winter tarp.
More >Packed and Ready to go. I review my packing strategy (again).
I looked at this picture I took before I set off on a recent trip, and I realized there are a few things I can do to improve how I stow things. Two-minute read.
More >Snow Day Gear repairs
I’m usually pretty easy on my equipment, but recently I’ve got careless and damaged three items of my backpacking gear. Today I removed my temporary duct tape fixes and applied permanent repairs to my underquilt protector and rain skirt. One-minute read, 6 pictures
More >Embrace the dirt. Staying clean while backpacking
Keeping clean while hiking or backpacking is an oxymoron in my book. Nature is all about dirt, and working up a sweat comes with the first steep hill you have to climb. The squeamish and easily frightened should probably stop reading at this point. Backpacking is perhaps not for you. Six-minute read
More >My 2020-2021 Winter Backpacking Gear
An in-detail run through all the gear I’m currently using to backpack and hammock camp in temperatures down to around 20°F
More >The unexpected problems of losing weight
On this trip I was trying out my new backpacking clothing options, and while I was checking how well my choices were working, I was slow to make changes when things weren’t. And that was a problem. Three-minute read
More >2020 – All Change! New gear: an ultralight backpack, some luxury items, and cooking kit changes
No, I’m not referring to COVID-19, though that has thrown a monkey wrench into my backpacking and hiking plans. I’m going to briefly talk about what I’ve been doing on the trails, plus some life and gear changes.
More >February 2020, Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness
February 2020, Big Piney Trail, Paddy Creek Wilderness – It was time for me to get out and clock up a few more miles. We first planned to visit Paddy Creek Wilderness in late December 2011, but with high winds in the forecast, we decided to go to Piney Creek instead. Somehow Paddy Creek Wilderness never featured in our plans after then. Now was a good time to put that right. Trip write-up: 24-minute read. 69 pictures
More >January 2020, Three Days At Devil’s Backbone Wilderness
January 2020, Three Days At Devil’s Backbone Wilderness – I visited old haunts and hiked the last of my un-trod trails in this wilderness. Trip write-up: 17-minute read. 48 pictures
More >Piney Creek Wilderness – January 2020
Piney Creek Wilderness – January 2020 – A three day, two night, relaxing stay by the lakeside in Piney Creek Wilderness. Trip write-up: 11-minute read. 54 pictures.
More >Hercules Glades – Visiting the Bluffs, Exploring Long Creek, and a Visit to ER
Despite my best intentions, I’ve been too busy to get out on the trails since my last trip in March. This weekend I decided to fix that with three days hiking at Hercules Glades. My plan was to catch a sunset from the bluffs and do some exploring down Long Creek. Things didn’t quite end up how I’d planned though.
More >Trip Report – ‘Wet Feet Hike’
I was determined to get out on a couple of free days no matter what the weather was. The forecast was for rain and as it had been raining a lot the past few days I was expecting the trails to be wet.
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